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The 25 Worst Movies That Won Oscars

This Sunday, the 87th Academy Awards ceremony will bring Hollywood's biggest stars to Los Angeles' Dolby Theatre for the annual celebration of the year's best—or, shall we say, most adored by a small faction of high-minded voters—motion pictures. At the moment, Richard Linklater’sBoyhood and Alejandro González Iñárritu’sBirdman are looking like the frontrunners for Best Picture, while on the acting front, Whiplash and The Theory of Everything have strong chances to put statues in the hands of J.K Simmons and Eddie Redmayne, respectively.

Those are all respectable films, though only Boyhood and Whiplash made it onto our own list of 2014's best movies. Obviously, like every year, some of the year’s best movies have been snubbed, like Selma and Inherent Vice. Despite these snubs, for the most part, moviegoers who truly cherish the celluloid medium can go to sleep happy knowing that worthwhile productions have been honored—even if they're not actually the year's best in the eyes of folks outside the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS).

Remember, it could always be worse: Just imagine if The Legend of Hercules got nominated for, say, Best Visual Effects and won, or, somehow, Josh Brolin or Kate Winslet did the same for their performances in the horrendous Labor Day. Both scenarios sound crazy? You'd be surprised at just how bad the AMPAS can get with their award distribution.

For a clearer picture of the Academy's biggest follies, consult our list of The 25 Worst Movies That Won Oscars. To think, all of these underwhelming films will forever be associated with the "Academy Award winner" tag. For shame.